Will the Supervisors Abolish this Sinecure?

New York, 1895

Last year the Supervisors appropriated $1,800 for the extraordinary expenses of the District Attorney's office. Nearly, if not the whole of this money was paid to a man dubbed "County Detective." His bills were never seen by the board of Supervisors, and, of course, were not audited. The money was paid out on the "say so" of District Attorney Noble.

The fund was created in the time of District Attorney Fleming for emergent purposes. If a crime were committed requiring the instant employment of constables and detectives, this fund was drawn upon to equip them with money for traveling expenses in the pursuit of criminals. There were numerous heinous crimes committed during Mr. Fleming's administration, notably the murder of the Maybees, and the murder of a woman at Glen Dale, but he did not use $1,800 a year, nor the half of it. There have been no notable crimes committed during Mr. Noble's first year in office, but, nevertheless, the money disappeared, and, as we have said, without the warrant of the board of Supervisors, which the law says must be had.

The methods of Mr. Fleming and Mr. Noble differ. Mr. Fleming employed detectives and constables only when they were necessary. Mr. Noble employs a detective all the year round, but what he does for his money no one knows, not even the Supervisors, who by law are required to know. The Supervisors have not authorized his appointment, and the drafts he makes on the treasury are not legal.

A detective with ability could be made very useful in this county. If the man who figures in that capacity has any ability, he has not put it in evidence. The probabilities are much against his having the necessary ability, as he was formerly a mere clerk to Mayor Gleason, and without detective training. If the position is to be a sinecure, this man is as much entitled to it as anybody, but an officer that is costing $1,800 a year should render the public good service. An efficient man could do a great deal to prevent the prize fighting that is disgracing the county constantly, and in bringing these ruffians to justice. He could be of service in running down horse thieves, and recovering stolen property. During the struggle of the people of Flushing to rid the town of thieves and gamblers, what was the "County Detective" doing? Nothing. The people had to hire detectives, and they had to hire lawyers, too, for the District Attorney did nothing. Like master, like Man.

One thing is positive: The man who holds this sinecure draws $5 a day and his expenses from the county treasury, work or play. The best information we can get is that he does clerical work in the District Attorney's office, runs errands, and occasionally serves a warrant or a subpoena. He is paid three times as much as would be allowed to a constable for like services, and the constable has to wait a year for his money, while the "detective" may touch the button to the county cash drawer on the first day of each month, without audit or warrant. Even the Superintendents of the Poor, who are salaried officers by statute, do not enjoy that enriching privilege.

It is the plain duty of the Supervisors to abolish this sinecure.

—The Long Island Farmer, Jamaica, NY, Feb. 22, 1895, p. 4.